The Arcane Scout
You never knew your parents, your family, where you came from. You would have been dead for a long time, if it wasn´t for that old hermit who pitied you. He wanted to teach you all about the arcane arts. But you were a Bosmer, a Wood elf. The call of nature is strong and ever present.
When you were older, you left the hermit. The woods of this land were your home now. It was the only place you would ever feel comfortable and safe. To keep it that way, you had to protect. You have to protect it.
Welcome to my build! I made this back in 2013, gathering 38 likes. A while back I did a new playthrough and came up with a few improvements/additions to the build! Hopefully I can gather some more likes to make my way into the Exemplar rank!
Build setup
Race: Bosmer. Fits the whole ´woodland protector´ theme and has some nice bonuses for light armor, archery, sneak and alchemy.
Stone: First Thief, then Shadow
Shouts (Optional): Animal Allegiance, Aura Whisper, Kyne's Peace, Throw Voice
Powers: Command Animal, Voice of the Sky
Major skills: Conjuration, Light armor, Archery, Sneak
Minor skills: Alchemy, One-handed, Smithing
Quests: Ill met by moonlight, Kyne's Sacred Trials and Composure, Speed and Precision
Perks
Conjuration: The most important skill for this build. Conjuration is first and foremost used for conjuring weapons such as the Bound bow and Bound sword, but is also used for summoning beasts from the planes of Oblivion to act as a distraction while you put in some distance between you and the enemy. Being mentored by a hermit has it´s advantages... Take Novice Conjuration, Apprentice Conjuration, Adept Conjuration, Mystic Binding, Soul Stealer and Oblivion Binding.
Light armor: Easier to sneak in, especially at lower levels, and is better for roleplay; the Arcane Scout only wears armors made out of animal hides. Take all perks.
Archery: Our main offensive skill. All perks are useful but Hunter's Discipline. However, that perk is needed for some of the higher-tier perks. Take all perks.
Sneak: Sneak archery can be pretty OP but is an essential tactic when dealing with large groups of enemies. Take Stealth (5/5), Backstab, Deadly Aim, Muffled Movement, Light Foot, Silent Roll and Silence.
Alchemy: Knowledge of plantlife is important for a woodsman. Poisons are used to paralyze or slow enemies, potions for healing and restoring magicka/stamina. Take Alchemist (5/5), Physician, Benefactor, Expirimenter (3/3), Poisoner and Concentrated Poison.
One-Handed: When archery won't do the job, conjure up your bound sword and slash 'em up. Take Armsman (5/5) and Bladesman (3/3).
Smithing: Armors out of fur and leather are pretty weak, so improve them as much as you can. If you don't have the Dragonborn DLC, this skill is unperked. If you do have Dragonborn, take everything up to Elven Smithing.
Equipment
The Arcane Scout fighting Ash Hoppers on Solstheim.
The Arcane Scout always wears armor made out of animal hides or scales. This gives us small choice concerning equipment. Throughout my first playthrough I've used leather, which can easily be acquired early-game. In other playthroughs I've used Chitin armor, which, unimproved, offers a little more protection than leather, and a lot more when improved with the Elven smithing perk. You could say the Arcane Scout is a glass cannon; but more about that in the 'Gameplay' section.
Combat
In combat, you'll mostly be using the Bound bow. The bound bow has a base damage of 18 (which is increased to 24 with Mystic binding) and comes with arrows with a damage rating of 24. Combine this with a speed equal to the Long bow. This makes it a pretty solid weapon. Before you acquire the Bound bow, I recommend using a Hunting bow, since it has great speed and OK damage.
In my first playthrough, I relied purely on sneak archery and would conjure up a Bound sword when detected. In later playthroughs, I've made use of half-drawing; the Scout's combat tactics had evolved. When dealing with one or a few low-level enemies, a few well-placed shots should do. If they get too close, apply a paralyse/slow potion to your bow and shoot them with a half-draw. If they survive you have bought yourself some time to reposition and start firing from a distance again. Only use your Bound sword in case of an emergency, i.e. you have run out of potions and an enemy is closing in fast.
When dealing with large groups of enemies or bosses, sneak archery is the way to go. I usually pick off the thralls/mages/archers first before turning my attention to the strongest foe. Staying hidden for as long as possible is important, as the Scout is essentially a glass cannon; Leather armor doesn't offer a lot of protection. Conjuring a bow and staying hidden at the same time can be quite difficult without the Quiet casting perk, but I found it to be a nice challenge at times. When fighting the boss, use the same tactics as mentioned early: fight at the longest possible distance from your foe, use half-draws and paralyse/slow poisons when he comes too close, retreat again. Summons can also be used to act as a distraction while you open up some distance between you and your foe.
In case you're playing as a Dovahkiin, shouts can also be used to further enhance gameplay. For example, Kyne's Peace can be used when not having the Voice of the Sky lesser power. Animal Allegiance can be utilized to perform special attacks multiple times a day. Throw Voice and Aura Whisper can come in handy when sneaking. Unfortunately they make noise, so they can detect enemies. I must confess I've never done the main quest with this build, even though Hircine's Excecution (see 'Special Moves') totally makes it worth it.
On the topic of fighting dragons: they're tough. Your best bet is to use a summon as a decoy, maybe gather some animals with Animal Allegiance/Command Animal, while you take cover and shower that damn lizard with ethereal arrows. I wouldn't suggest trying to slay the dragon from up close; I have the feeling that will end with said dragon performing a killmove on you.
LAST NOTE ON GAMEPLAY: Don't forget to keep some magicka left to conjure another weapon! Brew some Restore magicka potions and keep them with you.
Roleplaying and quests
There are few questlines that really suit the Arcane Scout, since he's more of a loner. If you want to become a werewolf (needed for 'Army of animals') you can do The Companions questline, but I suggest leaving after acquiring the beast blood. CoW comes in handy for spells and training, but doesn't fit the character. I did do the Dawnguard in my playthrough, after stumbling into their hidden valley. Furthermore, I chose to do hunting-oriented quests such as Kyne's Sacred Trials.
Don't use fast travel! This build is truly made to explore. You'll come across lots of random encounters, quests and other adventures while wandering the wilds of Skyrim. You're not evil; help people in need. There were however certain NPC's I would attack. These included, but were not limited to, poachers and bandits.
Hunting animals, using plants for alchemy and wearing armor made out of animal furs can be hard to justify for a protector of nature. I aimed to take as little of nature's resources as possible, only using them when I needed them and never doing any of these things for money. You could also use the Ring of Namira and turn to cannibalism instead of eating animals, but you would still have to live with the fact that you use plants for potions and furs for armor.
You can use Anise's Cabin or Alchemist's Shack as headquarters. Alternatively, you can take a horse hide with you. I did this when traveling; look for a safe spot to sleep, crouch down and wait. You can RP that you're sleeping in the horse hide as a sort of sleeping bag.
Special moves
Army of animals
You gather the nearby animals around you, and transform into one yourself, leading an army of animals.
Needed: Animals+Animal Allegiance/Command Animal+Werewolf form.
Hircine's excecution
You watch as the creatures of Skyrim eat your enemy, while he's paralysed with fear.
This one's so damn funny! You need to make sure there are animals nearby. Use a paralysis potion to paralyze your opponent, use Animal Allegiance or Command Animal, sit back and watch him being attacked by a bunch of skeevers. It can be pretty weak, when using wolves for example, but in other cases it can finish very strong enemies in just a few seconds. I once fought a bandit chief on high difficulty. He would have performed a killcam on me for sure, but then I used this move and watched him getting trampled to death by mammoths. Laughing guaranteed!
Needed: Animals+Animal Allegiance/Command Animal+Paralysis potion
A big shoutout to Tae-Rai who made the screenshots for this build!
Thank you for checking out my build! I hoped you liked it; if you did, please leave a +1. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
The Arcane Scout
You never knew your parents, your family, where you came from. You would have been dead for a long time, if it wasn´t for that old hermit who pitied you. He wanted to teach you all about the arcane arts. But you were a Bosmer, a Wood elf. The call of nature is strong and ever present.
When you were older, you left the hermit. The woods of this land were your home now. It was the only place you would ever feel comfortable and safe. To keep it that way, you had to protect. You have to protect it.
Welcome to my build! I made this back in 2013, gathering 38 likes. A while back I did a new playthrough and came up with a few improvements/additions to the build! Hopefully I can gather some more likes to make my way into the Exemplar rank!
Build setup
Race: Bosmer. Fits the whole ´woodland protector´ theme and has some nice bonuses for light armor, archery, sneak and alchemy.
Stone: First Thief, then Shadow
Shouts (Optional): Animal Allegiance, Aura Whisper, Kyne's Peace, Throw Voice
Powers: Command Animal, Voice of the Sky
Major skills: Conjuration, Light armor, Archery, Sneak
Minor skills: Alchemy, One-handed, Smithing
Quests: Ill met by moonlight, Kyne's Sacred Trials and Composure, Speed and Precision
Perks
Conjuration: The most important skill for this build. Conjuration is first and foremost used for conjuring weapons such as the Bound bow and Bound sword, but is also used for summoning beasts from the planes of Oblivion to act as a distraction while you put in some distance between you and the enemy. Being mentored by a hermit has it´s advantages... Take Novice Conjuration, Apprentice Conjuration, Adept Conjuration, Mystic Binding, Soul Stealer and Oblivion Binding.
Light armor: Easier to sneak in, especially at lower levels, and is better for roleplay; the Arcane Scout only wears armors made out of animal hides. Take all perks.
Archery: Our main offensive skill. All perks are useful but Hunter's Discipline. However, that perk is needed for some of the higher-tier perks. Take all perks.
Sneak: Sneak archery can be pretty OP but is an essential tactic when dealing with large groups of enemies. Take Stealth (5/5), Backstab, Deadly Aim, Muffled Movement, Light Foot, Silent Roll and Silence.
Alchemy: Knowledge of plantlife is important for a woodsman. Poisons are used to paralyze or slow enemies, potions for healing and restoring magicka/stamina. Take Alchemist (5/5), Physician, Benefactor, Expirimenter (3/3), Poisoner and Concentrated Poison.
One-Handed: When archery won't do the job, conjure up your bound sword and slash 'em up. Take Armsman (5/5) and Bladesman (3/3).
Smithing: Armors out of fur and leather are pretty weak, so improve them as much as you can. If you don't have the Dragonborn DLC, this skill is unperked. If you do have Dragonborn, take everything up to Elven Smithing.
Equipment
The Arcane Scout fighting Ash Hoppers on Solstheim.
The Arcane Scout always wears armor made out of animal hides or scales. This gives us small choice concerning equipment. Throughout my first playthrough I've used leather, which can easily be acquired early-game. In other playthroughs I've used Chitin armor, which, unimproved, offers a little more protection than leather, and a lot more when improved with the Elven smithing perk. You could say the Arcane Scout is a glass cannon; but more about that in the 'Gameplay' section.
Combat
In combat, you'll mostly be using the Bound bow. The bound bow has a base damage of 18 (which is increased to 24 with Mystic binding) and comes with arrows with a damage rating of 24. Combine this with a speed equal to the Long bow. This makes it a pretty solid weapon. Before you acquire the Bound bow, I recommend using a Hunting bow, since it has great speed and OK damage.
In my first playthrough, I relied purely on sneak archery and would conjure up a Bound sword when detected. In later playthroughs, I've made use of half-drawing; the Scout's combat tactics had evolved. When dealing with one or a few low-level enemies, a few well-placed shots should do. If they get too close, apply a paralyse/slow potion to your bow and shoot them with a half-draw. If they survive you have bought yourself some time to reposition and start firing from a distance again. Only use your Bound sword in case of an emergency, i.e. you have run out of potions and an enemy is closing in fast.
When dealing with large groups of enemies or bosses, sneak archery is the way to go. I usually pick off the thralls/mages/archers first before turning my attention to the strongest foe. Staying hidden for as long as possible is important, as the Scout is essentially a glass cannon; Leather armor doesn't offer a lot of protection. Conjuring a bow and staying hidden at the same time can be quite difficult without the Quiet casting perk, but I found it to be a nice challenge at times. When fighting the boss, use the same tactics as mentioned early: fight at the longest possible distance from your foe, use half-draws and paralyse/slow poisons when he comes too close, retreat again. Summons can also be used to act as a distraction while you open up some distance between you and your foe.
In case you're playing as a Dovahkiin, shouts can also be used to further enhance gameplay. For example, Kyne's Peace can be used when not having the Voice of the Sky lesser power. Animal Allegiance can be utilized to perform special attacks multiple times a day. Throw Voice and Aura Whisper can come in handy when sneaking. Unfortunately they make noise, so they can detect enemies. I must confess I've never done the main quest with this build, even though Hircine's Excecution (see 'Special Moves') totally makes it worth it.
On the topic of fighting dragons: they're tough. Your best bet is to use a summon as a decoy, maybe gather some animals with Animal Allegiance/Command Animal, while you take cover and shower that damn lizard with ethereal arrows. I wouldn't suggest trying to slay the dragon from up close; I have the feeling that will end with said dragon performing a killmove on you.
LAST NOTE ON GAMEPLAY: Don't forget to keep some magicka left to conjure another weapon! Brew some Restore magicka potions and keep them with you.
Roleplaying and quests
There are few questlines that really suit the Arcane Scout, since he's more of a loner. If you want to become a werewolf (needed for 'Army of animals') you can do The Companions questline, but I suggest leaving after acquiring the beast blood. CoW comes in handy for spells and training, but doesn't fit the character. I did do the Dawnguard in my playthrough, after stumbling into their hidden valley. Furthermore, I chose to do hunting-oriented quests such as Kyne's Sacred Trials.
Don't use fast travel! This build is truly made to explore. You'll come across lots of random encounters, quests and other adventures while wandering the wilds of Skyrim. You're not evil; help people in need. There were however certain NPC's I would attack. These included, but were not limited to, poachers and bandits.
Hunting animals, using plants for alchemy and wearing armor made out of animal furs can be hard to justify for a protector of nature. I aimed to take as little of nature's resources as possible, only using them when I needed them and never doing any of these things for money. You could also use the Ring of Namira and turn to cannibalism instead of eating animals, but you would still have to live with the fact that you use plants for potions and furs for armor.
You can use Anise's Cabin or Alchemist's Shack as headquarters. Alternatively, you can take a horse hide with you. I did this when traveling; look for a safe spot to sleep, crouch down and wait. You can RP that you're sleeping in the horse hide as a sort of sleeping bag.
Special moves
Army of animals
You gather the nearby animals around you, and transform into one yourself, leading an army of animals.
Needed: Animals+Animal Allegiance/Command Animal+Werewolf form.
Hircine's excecution
You watch as the creatures of Skyrim eat your enemy, while he's paralysed with fear.
This one's so damn funny! You need to make sure there are animals nearby. Use a paralysis potion to paralyze your opponent, use Animal Allegiance or Command Animal, sit back and watch him being attacked by a bunch of skeevers. It can be pretty weak, when using wolves for example, but in other cases it can finish very strong enemies in just a few seconds. I once fought a bandit chief on high difficulty. He would have performed a killcam on me for sure, but then I used this move and watched him getting trampled to death by mammoths. Laughing guaranteed!
Needed: Animals+Animal Allegiance/Command Animal+Paralysis potion
A big shoutout to Tae-Rai who made the screenshots for this build!
Thank you for checking out my build! I hoped you liked it; if you did, please leave a +1. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
. But i will probably also go with the Speechcraft, just to get a better price for your hides, and maybe use the Bow of the Hunt. Maybe also take two perks in Smithing, Steel and Arcane, just to could improve my weapons. But anyway, good work, sure gonna try it our once my orc is dead.
